Fans of the 4-3?

[billsfan89]

For me it doesn't matter what defense we play as long as we have good personnel to run it. I don't get the fascination with going to a 3-4 as the only way we would have success. In 2003 and 2004 running a 4-3 we had a damm good D one of the top 3 in the league if not one of the best in the league.

 

Also if we wanted to make a conversion to a 3-4 what personnel do we have that is currently suited for it? Are Poz and Mitchel big enough to play MLB in a 3-4 (Mitchel maybe but I don't think Poz is). Maybin might be a fit for OLB but that's not for sure either. So we might have 1-2 Linebackers on the current roster if not 0 that can play in a 3-4. Now look at the D-line Other then Kyle Williams I don't see anyone that can make a conversion to a 3-4. Stroud might play DE but that's not exactly sure, Schobel and Kelsay are both gone in the 3-4.

 

So We have 1-2 guys on the D-line and 1-2 guys at linebacker that might be a fit for a 3-4 type scheme. So if we are going to take our D to a 3-4 we are going to have to produce 3 to 5 starters on the D. We would need a nose tackle, possibly another DE, a MLB, a OLB, and possibly another OLB. Now why would we want to create 2-3 more needs on D when we have so many needs on offense.

 

I also think that we should target free agency to try and fix our front 7 while addressing our offense via the draft. Guys like Derrick Johnson, Jason Ferguson, and Fred Robbins are fits for the 4-3 who are going to be available via free agency and might actually come here in Buffalo.

 

I know there are a lot of free agents that fit the 3-4 BUT a lot of them are going to be out of our price range (Remember almost half the league runs the 3-4) so Richard Seymour, Vince Wilfork, Ryan Picket, and other big name 3-4 guys are way out of Buffalo's price range.

[Cash]

I'm generally against switching to the 3-4 for a couple reasons. First, the good defenses are the talented ones, regardless of scheme. Switching a scheme doesn't make up for a lack of talent. Second, so many teams have switched to the 3-4 that it's becoming VERY hard to find quality NTs and 3-4 DEs. Why do you think Tyson Jackson went so high in the draft last year? At this point, the bargains are disenfranchised 4-3 players like Aaron Kampman, Derrick Johnson, or Glenn Dorsey.

 

Having said that, however, I don't have anything fundamentally against the 3-4 as a defense. If the Bills really want to switch to it, they might as well do it this year. The team is going nowhere next year no matter what, and that won't change until they find a QB. Overhauling the D will boost next year's draft position, and by the time the Bills get a QB, there's a good chance they've also rebuilt the D into a competent 3-4.

[billsfan89]

I'm generally against switching to the 3-4 for a couple reasons. First, the good defenses are the talented ones, regardless of scheme. Switching a scheme doesn't make up for a lack of talent. Second, so many teams have switched to the 3-4 that it's becoming VERY hard to find quality NTs and 3-4 DEs. Why do you think Tyson Jackson went so high in the draft last year? At this point, the bargains are disenfranchised 4-3 players like Aaron Kampman, Derrick Johnson, or Glenn Dorsey.

 

Having said that, however, I don't have anything fundamentally against the 3-4 as a defense. If the Bills really want to switch to it, they might as well do it this year. The team is going nowhere next year no matter what, and that won't change until they find a QB. Overhauling the D will boost next year's draft position, and by the time the Bills get a QB, there's a good chance they've also rebuilt the D into a competent 3-4.

 

I just feel like the 3-4 is generally overexposed too hard to get players for it when we would be the 16th team or so to be trying to do it. With the 4-3 most colleges run it so its easier to draft for it and the other 14-15 teams who are running the 3-4 tend to get rid of serviceable or good 4-3 players.

[Ever Since '86]

I want to see us hold on to Draft atleast for depth reasons, did carolina run a 3 - 4 the year he did great?

[Fewell733]

I think realistically that next year we will have a hybrid defense. I think switching fully to a 3-4 will take a number of years.

 

The top priority needs to be to get bigger and badder players in our front 7

[BobChalmers]

I just feel like the 3-4 is generally overexposed too hard to get players for it when we would be the 16th team or so to be trying to do it. With the 4-3 most colleges run it so its easier to draft for it and the other 14-15 teams who are running the 3-4 tend to get rid of serviceable or good 4-3 players.

 

Spot on. Don't be the team to jump on the 3-4 bandwagon late - be the team to grab the under-valued 4-3 guys.

 

And 4-3 doesn't have to mean Tampa-2 with its (arguably) too-small LB's and pressure on the MLB to drop way back in coverage.

 

Gregg Williams' 4-3, is a derivative of the old Bears (Buddy Ryan) 46 defense. Nothing wimpy and small about it, and it's still around on several good defenses around the league.

 

That attacking 4-3 defense's main weakness, btw, is that it puts a lot of pressure on the DB's, especially the CB's, to play tight man coverage, and what do you know, DB's are the strength of the Bills' defense, so why not? I never could understand why we kept drafting DB's when one of the main features of the Tampa-2 is not putting much pressure on the CB's to man cover.

[Trader]

Spot on. Don't be the team to jump on the 3-4 bandwagon late - be the team to grab the under-valued 4-3 guys.

 

And 4-3 doesn't have to mean Tampa-2 with its (arguably) too-small LB's and pressure on the MLB to drop way back in coverage.

 

Gregg Williams' 4-3, is a derivative of the old Bears (Buddy Ryan) 46 defense. Nothing wimpy and small about it, and it's still around on several good defenses around the league.

 

That attacking 4-3 defense's main weakness, btw, is that it puts a lot of pressure on the DB's, especially the CB's, to play tight man coverage, and what do you know, DB's are the strength of the Bills' defense, so why not? I never could understand why we kept drafting DB's when one of the main features of the Tampa-2 is not putting much pressure on the CB's to man cover.

 

Agreed if you want a 3-4 you need to evolve into it. We did not even have 3 startomg quality linebackers last year let alone 4. The ones we have were too small for a 3-4. The Bills do not have the personnel to do it in one season.

[billsfan89]

Spot on. Don't be the team to jump on the 3-4 bandwagon late - be the team to grab the under-valued 4-3 guys.

 

And 4-3 doesn't have to mean Tampa-2 with its (arguably) too-small LB's and pressure on the MLB to drop way back in coverage.

 

Gregg Williams' 4-3, is a derivative of the old Bears (Buddy Ryan) 46 defense. Nothing wimpy and small about it, and it's still around on several good defenses around the league.

 

That attacking 4-3 defense's main weakness, btw, is that it puts a lot of pressure on the DB's, especially the CB's, to play tight man coverage, and what do you know, DB's are the strength of the Bills' defense, so why not? I never could understand why we kept drafting DB's when one of the main features of the Tampa-2 is not putting much pressure on the CB's to man cover.

 

Very good point I think people forget that 4-3 doesn't mean Tampa 2. I feel like if we get bigger and badder at DT and get stronger at Linebacker Then a 4-3 will more then work in Buffalo as I have said in 2003 and 2004 we had a dominant D just as good as any Buffalo 3-4 team. I think that the Tampa 2 experiment is done it won't work. BUT just because the Tampa 2 won't work doesn't mean the 4-3 won't work.

 

I feel like if we want to spend big in free agency then we better target 4-3 castoffs on teams that recently converted to a 3-4. As another poster pointed out Aaron Kampman is going to be a free agent, as I pointed out Derrick Johnson is going to be a free agent, Jason Ferguson and Fred Robbins are both going to be free agents. There is a lot of 4-3 exclusive talent that might not be as highly sought after as 3-4 type guys.